System for detecting the production data of a number of textile machines

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a system comprising control computers ( 1 ) for controlling and detecting the operating data e.g. the speed, stoppage, cause of stoppage, etc., for each textile machine, and a central computer ( 2 ) for determining the production data. The control computers ( 1 ) and the central computer ( 2 ) respectively comprise means ( 3 ) for wireless signal transmission, and form, with a respectively associated transmission unit ( 4, 5 ), a radio network for signal transmission according to the WLAN or Bluetooth standard. The transmission units ( 4, 5 ) are connected by a telephone line ( 6 ), such that the control computers ( 1 ) and the central computer ( 2 ) can be positioned at any distance in relation to each other. In this way, the means required for the network are significantly reduced, the production data is determined in a centralised manner, and a centralised production control is achieved.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a system for determining production data of andcontrolling a number of weaving or knitting machines, according to thepreamble of claim 1.

PRIOR ART

DE 100 55 025 A discloses a system for controlling a number of spinningpreparation machines by means of a central computer. The system consistsessentially of control computers for controlling the spinningpreparation machines and for acquiring the operating data of eachspinning preparation machine, a server and a central computer. Thecontrol computers are connected via a cable network to the centralcomputer. The cable network contains a server and a modem, which arerespectively assigned to the control computers and to the centralcomputer, and which are connected via a data line.

It is known from EP 1 128 244 A to connect a number of machine tools, inparticular injection molding machines, via a network to a centralcomputer, the individual machine tools firstly being connected via aradio link to a common server, which is in turn connected via a wireline to the central computer.

The known spinning preparation machines and machine tools, such asinjection molding machines, are machines in which products are producedaccording to a fixed program and therefore only the productionparameters need to be monitored and controlled. These documents,however, do not disclose any indication that the networks are alsosuitable for the control of weaving or knitting machines which operateaccording to alternating pattern programs.

Weaving or knitting machines respectively comprise a series offunctional groups, for weaving machines these being for example drive,technical configuration, weft thread input and product output. Thefunctional groups are controlled by the control computer according to aweaving program. The weaving program comprises the operating data forthe article to be weaved, for example the pattern data. The weavingprogram is loaded in situ into the control memory. The article thenstarts to be weaved, with the newly determined operating data beingcontinuously acquired by the control computer. Once the weaving hasfinished, the operating data are stored in the control computer, forexample by an acknowledgement signal. The operating data could be storedin situ on a data medium.

In textile factories, there are a large number of different weaving orknitting machines. Each weaving or knitting machine contains variousfunctional groups, which can respectively be controlled by a system asdescribed above.

Such a system has the disadvantages that a correspondingly complex cablenetwork is required according to the number of weaving or knittingmachines and functional groups per weaving or knitting machine,different cable networks are required for various types of weaving orknitting machines, and the outlay and costs for these networks are highso that the distance between the weaving or knitting machine and thecentral computer is limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved system fordetermining the production data of and controlling a number of weavingor knitting machines.

This object is achieved by independent claim 1. The dependent claimsrelate to refinements.

It has surprisingly been found that a number of weaving or knittingmachines operating according to alternating pattern programs can also becontrolled straightforwardly by a central computer, and the productiondata can be acquired, when the control computers assigned to eachweaving or knitting machine are respectively connected via wirelesssignal transmission means to at least a first transmission unit, thelatter being at least partially connected by means of a data line to thecentral computer. The first transmission unit may be connected by meansof a data line, preferably a telephone line, directly to the centralcomputer or to a second transmission unit, in which case the latter mayin turn be connected via wireless transmission means to the centralcomputer.

It is preferable for the wireless transmission means to form a radionetwork for transmission according to the WLAN or Bluetooth standard.These radio networks allow bidirectional transmission so that, besidesdetermining the production data, it is also possible to communicateoperating data and pattern data to the control computers of the weavingor knitting machines.

It is preferable for the wireless transmission means to be a send andreceive unit, these being integrated into the associated devices, suchas the control computers, transmission units and the central computer.The operating data of different types of weaving or knitting machinescan thereby be acquired with the same system.

A unit for expanding the radio cell may be assigned to the radio networkfor the control computers and to the first transmission unit. Theadvantage of this is that the radio network can be adapted to the numberof weaving or knitting machines.

By connecting the transmission units via a data line, for example atelephone line, the central computer can be located away from the placewhere the weaving or knitting machines are set up.

The central computer is preferably a CAM computer, to which a printer isassigned. This offers the opportunity to determine the production dataof the textile factory from the operating data. The production data mayalso be forwarded for the purpose of production management.

The system may be assigned a mobile computer such as a laptop, mobilephone or tablet PC. With such a mobile computer, it is possible toaccess the control computer and the central computer within the localradio traffic network. The opportunity for access is extended if thereis a remote radio traffic network.

The weaving or knitting machines to be simultaneously monitored may beof different types, but they are preferably of the same type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be explained below with reference to the appendeddrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the system, and

FIG. 2 shows a modification of the embodiment of the system according toFIG. 1.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The system will be described below in the application for weavingmachines, which have a control computer 1.1 to 1.n.

The system consists essentially of a central computer 2, a number ofsend and receive units 3 which are integrated into the control computers1.1 to 1.n and into the central computer 2, a first transmission unit 4which is assigned to the control computers, and a second transmissionunit 5 which is assigned to the central computer 2. With therespectively assigned transmission unit, the send and receive units 3form a radio network or a radio cell for signal transmission accordingto the WLAN or Bluetooth standard. The transmission units 4, 5respectively have a send and receive unit 3 and a modulator/demodulatorunit and they are connected to one another via a data line, preferably atelephone line 6. It is thus possible to wirelessly connect a group ofweaving machines, for example inside a machine room, to a transmissionunit which can in turn communicate to a central computer at any distanceaway. All the weaving machines within a machine room may be connected toa transmission unit, or individual groups of weaving machines mayrespectively be connected wirelessly to an associated transmission unit.

A unit 9 for expanding the radio network or the radio cell, which isprovided on the transmission unit 4, may be assigned to the radionetwork for the control computers 1.1 to 1.n and the first transmissionunit 4.

The central computer 2 is a CAM computer. Most importantly, the CAMcomputer acquires the operating data. Provision is furthermore made tocommunicate a stop signal and a start signal to the control computer 1.1to 1.n. A printer 11 for recording the operating data and a scanner 10are assigned to the CAM computer. An image to be replicated in theproduct web to be produced is digitized by the scanner 10 and stored aspattern data in the CAM computer. The. CAM computer communicates thepattern data to the control computer 1 of the respective weavingmachine. In the central computer or in the control computer, thedigitized pattern data are converted into machine data processable bythe weaving machine.

The system is assigned a mobile computer 7 such as a laptop, mobilephone or tablet PC, using which the data of the control computers 1.1 to1.n and/or of the central computer 2 can be queried and a stop signalcan be sent to the control computers.

The operating data acquired may, for example, be the speed of theweaving machine, the run time of the weaving machine, inactivity of theweaving machine, the cause of the inactivity, the inactivity time, theweft number, the number of weaved patterns, etc. The status of theweaving machine as well as the production data of the goods produced aredetermined from these operating data. These include, for example, thearticles produced and the quantity of produced articles. The operatingdata and/or the production data are employed for the productionmanagement.

The embodiment according to FIG. 2 differs from the embodiment accordingto FIG. 1 merely in that the first transmission unit 4 is connecteddirectly to the central computer 2 via the data line 6.

The system of FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises control computers 1.1 to 1.n forcontrolling the weaving machine and for acquiring operating data, forexample speed, inactivity, cause of the inactivity, etc. for eachweaving machine, and a central computer 2 for determining the productiondata. The control computers 1.1 to 1.n and the central computer 2respectively have wireless transmission means 3, and with a respectivelyassigned transmission unit 4, 5 they form a radio network for signaltransmission according to the WLAN or Bluetooth standard. Thetransmission units 4, 5 are connected via a telephone line 6, so thatthe control computers and the central computer can be set up at anydistance from one another. This substantially reduces the outlay for thenetwork, and facilitates central determination of the production data aswell as central production management. The production data required in aweaving machine so as to produce the goods may be generated in thecontrol computer, or entered into the control computer by means of datamedia or from the central computer.

1. A system for determining the production data of and controlling anumber of weaving or knitting machines, containing a control computerfor each weaving or knitting machine and a central computer, which arenetworked, characterized in that the control computers are respectivelyconnected via wireless signal transmission means to at least a firsttransmission unit, the latter being at least partially connected to thecentral computer by means of a data line.
 2. The system as claimed inclaim 1, characterized in that the central computer is connected viawireless signal transmission means to a second transmission unit.
 3. Thesystem as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the wireless signaltransmission means form a radio network for signal transmissionaccording to the WLAN or Bluetooth standard.
 4. The system as claimed inclaim 1, characterized in that the wireless transmission means have asend and receive unit, these being integrated into the respectiveterminal device.
 5. The system as claimed in claim 1, characterized inthat a unit for expanding the radio cell is assigned at least to theradio network for the control computers and to the first transmissionunit (4).
 6. The system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that thedata line is a telephone line.
 7. The system as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that the first and second transmission unit areconnected via a data line, preferably a telephone line.
 8. The system asclaimed in claim 1, characterized in that the central computer is a CAMcomputer for determining the production data from the operating data andfor storing pattern data.
 9. The system as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that a printer for recording the operating data isassigned to the central computer.
 10. The system as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that a scanner for digitizing image data is assigned tothe central computer.
 11. The system as claimed in claim 1,characterized by a mobile computer such as a laptop, mobile phone ortablet PC for querying the data of the control computers and/or of thecentral computer.
 12. The system as claimed in claim 1, characterized inthat digitized data can be converted in the central computer or in thecontrol computer into machine data processable by the weaving orknitting machine.
 13. The system as claimed in claim 2, characterized inthat a unit for expanding the radio cell is assigned at least to theradio network for the control computers and to the first transmissionunit.
 14. The system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that thefirst and second transmission unit are connected via a data line,preferably a telephone line.